Ten Norway tourist favourites that are cheaper because of the low krone
Norway has long been one of the most expensive countries for tourists, but with the krone now at historic lows against the dollar and the euro, it's looking ever more affordable. We estimated how this affects the prices of the most popular attractions.
The Munch Museum, Fram and Kon-tiki Museums and Vigelund Museum.
The Munch Museum, which opened in 2021, has been a superb addition to Oslo's cultural tourism menu, and at 160 kroner for an adult, it's actually pretty fair value by Norwegian standards. But that 160 kroner, which would have been nearly $20/€16 when the museum opened now represents just $15, €14, enough to buy you an overpriced coffee afterwards.
It's a similar story for the Fram Polar Exploration museum and the next door Kon-tiki museum, which cover the voyages of the polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen and the adventurer Thor Heyerdahl, for which a joint ticket now costs 250 kroner, which came to $30/€24 in May 2021, and now converts to just $23/€21.
The Vigeland Museum, devoted to the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, costs 100 kroner ($8 or €10 in May 2021 and $11 or €12 in May 2023).
The Munch Museum feels a little less pricey for foreigners. Photo: Einar Aslaksen/Munch Museum
Mount Fløyen funicular
The Fløibanen funicular railway that takes you high above Bergen's harbour costs 160 kroner for an adult, 80 kroner for a child, and 400 kroner for a family ticket.
The fall in the kroner against the dollar means that the real price has fallen from $19.2 in May 2021 dollars to $15 in May 2023 for an adult ticket, and from $48 to $37 for a family ticket. The price in euros has fallen from €16 to €14 for an adult ticket and from €39 to €34 for a family ticket.
The Mount Fløyen funicular railway in Bergen is one of the top attractions in Norway. Photo: Fløibanen
Trolltunga
Climbing to the dizzying, Instragram-friendly Trolltunga promontory above the Ringedalsvatnet lake in Vestland is free, but the parking and shuttle busses to get there very much aren't.
The same-day parking fees at the closest car park are as much as 600 kroner, but the fall in the krone reduces that sting from $72 to $56, or €59 to €50.
There are a few things you should know before taking on one of Norway's most famous hikes. Pictured is the world famous rock formation. Photo by Tuomas Härkönen on Unsplash
Preikestolen
A guided hike up to Preikestolen, with its views over the Lysefjorden, currently costs about 1,200 kroner. The kroner's decline takes that down from $144 in May 2021 dollars to $111 in May 2023, and from €118 to €101.
Fjord cruises from Bergen or Geiranger
A fjord cruise between Geiranger and Hellesylt in the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord will set tourists back around 500 kroner each today, while a four-hour cruise up the Osterfjord from Bergen will cost you about 800 kroner.
The kroner's weakness means the cost of of this has fallen from about $60 to $46 and €49 to €42 respectively.
Short cruises up the Geirangerfjord are enormously popular among tourists. Photo by Simon Fischenbeck on Unsplash
Hurtigruten up the Norwegian coast
The basic cost for getting the Hurtigruten cruise up the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes and back is currently 15,225 kroner. In May 2023 that would have been $1,834 or €1,507, but with the weaker currency it is just $1,206 or €1,409. We are in touch with the Hurtigruten Group to find out how the dollar and euro prices have changed over the period.
Renting a cabin from the Norwegian Trekking Association
For many visitors, tourism in Norway is all about getting out and experiencing the country's stunning landscape and one of the best ways to do this is by renting a cabin from the Norwegian Trekking Association or DNT.
Booking a bed in one of the association's staffed hostels in the countryside near Oslo can cost close to 1500 kroner a night for a non-member, while booking a bunk in one of the association's more remote unstaffed cabins is about 450 kroner.
The falling krone, in effect, reduces the price of the former from $180 a night to under $140 or from €150 to under €130.
The Kiellandbu cabin is an example of one of the cabins where you can hire a bed from the Norwegian Trekking Association. Photo: Marius Dalseg/DNT
The Bergensbanen railway
Crossing the Hardangervidda plateau, Europe's largest high mountain plateau on the train between Oslo and Bergen must rank as one of the world's great train journeys, as well as being the most relaxed way to get between Norway's two biggest cities.
A one-way ticket currently costs about 1100 kroner, about $133 in May 2021 dollars, but only $102 in May 2023. In euros, the price is down from €109 to €93.
A fishing boat trip in the Lofoten Islands
A fishing trip with the company No Problem Sportfishing, based in Svolvær in the Lofoten Islands is currently 1000 kroner per person, up from about 900 kroner a person in 2021, that's $108 in 2021 at the company's old prices, to $92 per person in 2023. In euros, its a fall from €108 to €84.
Oslo Scooter tour
A one-and-a-half hour Oslo scooter tour with Osloway currently costs 490 kroner, unchanged from what it was in 2021, but for tourists, the cost is down from $60/€49 in May 2021 dollars to $45/€41 this May.
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The Munch Museum, Fram and Kon-tiki Museums and Vigelund Museum.
The Munch Museum, which opened in 2021, has been a superb addition to Oslo's cultural tourism menu, and at 160 kroner for an adult, it's actually pretty fair value by Norwegian standards. But that 160 kroner, which would have been nearly $20/€16 when the museum opened now represents just $15, €14, enough to buy you an overpriced coffee afterwards.
It's a similar story for the Fram Polar Exploration museum and the next door Kon-tiki museum, which cover the voyages of the polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen and the adventurer Thor Heyerdahl, for which a joint ticket now costs 250 kroner, which came to $30/€24 in May 2021, and now converts to just $23/€21.
The Vigeland Museum, devoted to the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, costs 100 kroner ($8 or €10 in May 2021 and $11 or €12 in May 2023).
Mount Fløyen funicular
The Fløibanen funicular railway that takes you high above Bergen's harbour costs 160 kroner for an adult, 80 kroner for a child, and 400 kroner for a family ticket.
The fall in the kroner against the dollar means that the real price has fallen from $19.2 in May 2021 dollars to $15 in May 2023 for an adult ticket, and from $48 to $37 for a family ticket. The price in euros has fallen from €16 to €14 for an adult ticket and from €39 to €34 for a family ticket.
Trolltunga
Climbing to the dizzying, Instragram-friendly Trolltunga promontory above the Ringedalsvatnet lake in Vestland is free, but the parking and shuttle busses to get there very much aren't.
The same-day parking fees at the closest car park are as much as 600 kroner, but the fall in the krone reduces that sting from $72 to $56, or €59 to €50.
Preikestolen
A guided hike up to Preikestolen, with its views over the Lysefjorden, currently costs about 1,200 kroner. The kroner's decline takes that down from $144 in May 2021 dollars to $111 in May 2023, and from €118 to €101.
Fjord cruises from Bergen or Geiranger
A fjord cruise between Geiranger and Hellesylt in the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord will set tourists back around 500 kroner each today, while a four-hour cruise up the Osterfjord from Bergen will cost you about 800 kroner.
The kroner's weakness means the cost of of this has fallen from about $60 to $46 and €49 to €42 respectively.
Hurtigruten up the Norwegian coast
The basic cost for getting the Hurtigruten cruise up the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes and back is currently 15,225 kroner. In May 2023 that would have been $1,834 or €1,507, but with the weaker currency it is just $1,206 or €1,409. We are in touch with the Hurtigruten Group to find out how the dollar and euro prices have changed over the period.
Renting a cabin from the Norwegian Trekking Association
For many visitors, tourism in Norway is all about getting out and experiencing the country's stunning landscape and one of the best ways to do this is by renting a cabin from the Norwegian Trekking Association or DNT.
Booking a bed in one of the association's staffed hostels in the countryside near Oslo can cost close to 1500 kroner a night for a non-member, while booking a bunk in one of the association's more remote unstaffed cabins is about 450 kroner.
The falling krone, in effect, reduces the price of the former from $180 a night to under $140 or from €150 to under €130.
The Bergensbanen railway
Crossing the Hardangervidda plateau, Europe's largest high mountain plateau on the train between Oslo and Bergen must rank as one of the world's great train journeys, as well as being the most relaxed way to get between Norway's two biggest cities.
A one-way ticket currently costs about 1100 kroner, about $133 in May 2021 dollars, but only $102 in May 2023. In euros, the price is down from €109 to €93.
A fishing boat trip in the Lofoten Islands
A fishing trip with the company No Problem Sportfishing, based in Svolvær in the Lofoten Islands is currently 1000 kroner per person, up from about 900 kroner a person in 2021, that's $108 in 2021 at the company's old prices, to $92 per person in 2023. In euros, its a fall from €108 to €84.
Oslo Scooter tour
A one-and-a-half hour Oslo scooter tour with Osloway currently costs 490 kroner, unchanged from what it was in 2021, but for tourists, the cost is down from $60/€49 in May 2021 dollars to $45/€41 this May.
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